MINER INDEX
HOME PAGE

  KILLED BY MINE CAR

    September 3, 1901.  Harry Mestrock, an employee of the St. Louis Smelting and Refining Co., acting as cager, was killed by a mine car.  At the time of the accident the deceased appears to have been standing, according to the testimony furnished before the coroner's jury, against a car when the mule driver came to the bottom of the shaft with a full car, cut loose from it and let it go, as was customary.  Parties standing close by called to the deceased to look out, but he appears not to have had time to get out of the way before he was caught between the cars.  The deceased, after the car struck him, walked out from the cars and was assisted to a seat, and took some water that was offered to him. Evidently the superintendent of the mine, Mr. Swartz, and the foreman, who were near by and witnessed the accident, did not think at the time that it was very serious.  The deceased got up from his seat and walked some 30 or 40 steps, and the superintendent started through the mines upon an examination of other matters.  The cager was doubtless somewhat to blame as there was plenty of light.  The witnesses do not agree at one point.   One says the drivers cut loose their cars without warning while another says the driver usually gives an alarm when he cuts loose.  Another witness states that the driver is not supposed to give warning when he cuts loose; that it is the cager's business to be on the lookout, and that this driver gave no warning.  The verdict of the coroner's jury is as follows:

State of Missouri,
County of St. Francois.
    We, the jury, having been duly sworn and affirmed by J. H. English, coroner of St. Francois County, Mo., diligently to inquire and due presentment make in what manner and by whom Harry Mestrok, whose body was found at St. Louis Smelting and Refining Co.'s works on the 3rd day of Sept. 1901, came to his death, after having heard the evidence and upon full inquiry concerning the facts and a careful examination of the body, do find that the deceased came to his death by an accident due to his own negligence in not looking out for the incoming car that struck him.

                                                                        E. F. PACKARD, Foreman.
                                                                        TOM WILSON,
                                                                        N. DUNHAM,
                                                                        E. B. CLOUD,
                                                                        JNO.*   HIGGINS
                                                                        ROBERT A. LLOYD

    I hereby certify that the above is a correct copy of the verdict in the inquest held over the body of Harry Mestrok at the National, Sept. 4, 1901.

                                                                        J. H. ENGLISH, Coroner St. Francois Co.

    The deceased lived some 16 or 17 hours after the accident occurred.

MINER INDEX
HOME PAGE

*JOHN or JONATHAN

Note:  Deceased's name is spelled both Mestrock and Mestrok in above article.  I do not know which spelling is correct.